1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a handheld electronic device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a handheld electronic device with an image-capturing apparatus which can capture image conveniently in two opposite directions.
2. Description of the Related Art
Handheld electronic devices are compact, portable electronic products. Examples of handheld electronic devices include mobile phones, pocket personal computers (Pocket PCs) and personal digital assistants (PDAs). Because handheld electronic devices can be used for wireless communication and Internet connection, the device is a versatile and highly efficient means of processing communications. At present, handheld electronic devices have become one of the most sought-after high-tech products.
FIGS. 1A and 1B are front view and back view of a conventional mobile phone 100. As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the mobile phone 100 has an image-capturing apparatus 102 capable of turning 180° around an axis 104. The image-capturing apparatus 102 is installed within a groove 112 in a top of a main body 110 of the mobile phone 100. The image-capturing apparatus 102 includes a lens 106 which can be rotated within a range of 180 degrees to take pictures of objects at different directions. When the lens 106 of the image-capturing apparatus 102 is positioned in the same direction as a display screen 120 of the mobile phone 100, an image of a user of the mobile phone 100 can be displayed on the display screen 120 of the main body 110. Thereafter, if the user presses a function key 116 on the main body 110, the image of the user can be captured by a photosensitive element (not shown) inside the image-capturing apparatus 102. When the image-capturing apparatus 102 is turned rearwards for 180° so that the lens 106 is now directed rearwards, images of objects or other persons facing the user can be displayed on the display screen 120. Thereafter, if the user presses the function key 116 on the main body 110, the images of the objects or other persons are captured by the photosensitive element (not shown) within the image-capturing apparatus 102.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,473,631 disclosed a swivel videophone whose image-capturing apparatus has a rotation shaft locatable between and pivoted to lateral beams of a main body of the videophone. Hence, the image-capturing apparatus is free to rotate to a desired direction.
The two aforementioned mobile phones each must provide a groove in a top of a main body of the mobile phone for accommodating the image-capturing apparatus. The groove extends through front and rear faces of the main body the mobile phone. The cost of molding and fabricating the main body of the mobile phone is relatively high. Moreover, it is difficult to precisely and reliably locate the lens of the image-capturing apparatus at forward and rearward directions, which are the mostly desired directions in use. In addition, the image-capturing apparatus undermines the visual feeling of integrity of the mobile phone since the image-capturing apparatus looks like an addition component attached to the mobile phone.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,507 shows an image-capturing apparatus pivoted to one side of a main body of a mobile videophone so that an image of an object can be captured by turning the image-capturing apparatus to a desired aspect pointing toward the object. The image-capturing apparatus gives a user of the mobile videophone a visual feeling of being not integral and compact. Furthermore, it is not convenient to set the image-capturing apparatus fixed at a specific direction.